The author of the notorious Sonic Journey 2 track “Dwell and Study” is suing Sega, claiming he owns the rights to the track partly, and alleging the firm has been utilizing the track with out his permission and earning money off it over the final 20 years.
In a lawsuit first spotted by Polygon and additionally seen by IGN, John Gioeli, the author and performer for Dwell and Study, asserts that he has maintained his songwriting registration for the track for over 20 years since he first wrote and recorded it for Sonic Journey 2. Nevertheless, he says Sega has been improperly claiming it’s the precise proprietor of the track and behaving as such, together with licensing the track to “at the very least 25 video video games, tv reveals, reside performances/occasions, and movies.”
Particularly, Gioeli’s swimsuit claims that Sega is basing its possession of Dwell and Study off “a 2001 lyric settlement the place Gioeli was paid $3000 to put in writing lyrics for a as-yet-untitled track that will be included in Sonic Journey 2.” He did so at his residence studio, utilizing his personal tools and personal vocals, allegedly with out Sega’s direct involvement. He did work with Sega composer Jun Senoue over the telephone, with Senoue initially sending him a music demo that Gioeli was supposed to put in writing lyrics for. However the swimsuit claims that the scope of Gioeli’s work expanded over the course of his work on Dwell and Study with out modification to the preliminary settlement, which was just for the lyrics. Allegedly, Gioeli revised the track considerably, speaking adjustments over the telephone to Senoue.
Because of this, Gioeli says Sega claims it owns each the recording and musical composition, however argues this isn’t really the case and that there is no such thing as a settlement stating such. And Gioeli additionally claims that Sega has acknowledged in the previous that the composition is “probably collectively owned”, with one Sega lawyer allegedly telling Gioeli at one level that he’s entitled to 50% of earnings from its use.
Gioeli allegedly was someway unaware that Sega has been utilizing Dwell and Study with regularity in a quantity of different codecs over the final 20 years. That is regardless of Gioeli working carefully with the firm on a quantity of songs all through this time, all of which had way more particular agreements signed about who owned what. Per the swimsuit, he solely came upon about its myriad makes use of by way of a fan telling him, and has since recognized 25 video video games it exists in. These embody a number of Yakuza and Sonic video games, Tremendous Smash Bros, Phantasy Star On-line, the maimai sequence, and Monster Hunter Rise). Notably, Gioeli was concerned in the track’s inclusion in the latest film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (which we have simply reviewed), and even signed the take care of Paramount for track placement.
Gioeli is searching for a courtroom choice as to the possession of Dwell and Study, in addition to a restitution for any cash he’s owed and damages for breach of the 2001 Lyric Settlement.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Yow will discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Acquired a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.